Experience | The Barefoot Spirit

Entrepreneur – 14 International Accelerators Speak Out on the Top 4 Components for Startup Success

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Mon, 05 Mar 2018 20:11:09 +0000

If anyone could unravel the mystery of why some startups succeed and others fail, it would be the business accelerators. They have a front-row seat with real-world experience. Their reputation is on the line, and rapid turnover is not their friend. They have a vested interest in seeing their clients succeed.

Over the past three months, we have conducted a survey of 14 international business accelerators. With their experience, what was their take on startup success and failure? Over the next few months we will be publishing the results of that study.

Our first question was, “What are the most important qualities successful startup founders possess?” Interestingly, with such a wide range of international respondents, the answers were quite similar.

To read the complete article, visit please Entrepreneur

Who We Are

Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey co-authored the New York Times bestselling business book, The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America’s #1 Wine Brand. The book has been selected as recommended reading in the CEO Library for CEO Forum, the C-Suite Book Club, and numerous university classes on business and entrepreneurship. It chronicles their humble beginnings from the laundry room of a rented Sonoma County farmhouse to the board room of E&J Gallo, who ultimately acquired their brand and engaged them as brand consultants. Barefoot is now the world’s largest wine brand.

Beginning with virtually no money and no wine industry experience, they employed innovative ideas to overcome obstacles, create new markets and forge strategic alliances. They pioneered Worthy Cause Marketing and performance-based compensation. They built an internationally bestselling brand and received their industry’s “Hot Brand” award for several consecutive years.

They offer their Guiding Principles for Success (GPS) to help entrepreneurs become successful. Their book, The Entrepreneurial Culture: 23 Ways To Engage and Empower Your People, helps corporations maximize the value of their human resources.

Currently they travel the world leading workshops, trainings, & keynoting at business schools, corporations, conferences. They are regular media guests and contributors to international publications and professional journals. They are C-Suite Network Advisors & Contributing Editors. Visit their popular brand building site at www.consumerbrandbuilders.com.

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

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7 Rules for Successful Delegation

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 18:00:23 +0000

One of the hardest thing for any Type-A business owner to do successfully is to delegate. Some believe, “If you want it done right, you have to do it yourself!” They say, “Nobody can do it like I can do it.” And this may be correct, but sooner or later you must delegate. There’s just too much to do in a growing business, you simply can’t do it all yourself.

It’s certainly a compromise, but we believe successful delegation is a two-way street. The owner must accept less than “perfect” performance. The employee or contracted services individual must move out of their comfort zone, develop new habits, and accept new responsibilities.

Here’s what we have learned after years of experience, most of which was painful. Perhaps it will help you delegate more successfully.

Look for Extrapolation Learners. People who can extrapolate the underlying principle from an example and apply that principle to a new example they haven’t seen before are good candidates for delegation. Many people don’t bother looking for principles since they can get cut-and-paste examples for pretty much everything they need on line.

You will find many who say, “Like what?” to everything you ask, even when they have seen an example of the same principle in operation before. Avoid delegating to these people. Delegate only to people who glean overarching principles from the examples given in trainings and their own experience.

Seek Integrity. When people do what they say, don’t drop assignments you haven’t regularly asked about, and voluntarily keep you posted on the status of their projects, they are good candidates for delegation. Look for people who take responsibility to get the job done and don’t blame others.

Avoid delegating to people who say, “They never got back to me” when you have to ask, “What happened on that project?” because they didn’t voluntarily inform you. Don’t delegate to people who have demonstrated they will only accept the minimum level of responsibility required of them in order to get paid.

Look for Coachability. When people can take and apply constructive criticism, look for policies and procedures that can help them get their job done better and faster, and show steady improvement, they are excellent candidates for delegation.

Avoid candidates who take constructive professional critique personally or don’t seek experienced help because they so desperately want to appear self-sufficient and all-knowing.

Seek Self-Starters. When people see the big picture and, without being asked, initiate appropriate action, mitigate a problem, or improve an unstable situation, they are great candidates for delegation. They still require some supervision, but are less likely to require micro-management.

Avoid delegating to people who have already demonstrated a need for constant supervision and vigilant oversight.

Look for Mistake Learners. Accept that mistakes will be made. Look for candidates who learn from them, candidates that see them as an opportunity to get to the bottom of what happened, candidates who write new documents to prevent a reoccurrence, and candidates who can improve your company’s policies and processes.

Avoid those who hide or try to cover up their mistakes, or blame others (finger pointers). Seek to rid your company of those people who continue to make the same mistakes.

Provide Incentives. Create a bonus structure for the folks you delegate to. Make sure you both agree on the metrics. Use your new bonus plan for just one year, so in subsequent years you can improve the requirements as you discover and fine tune what’s necessary to achieve the results you are looking for.

Give Regular Reviews. Make the reviews more frequent in the beginning to avoid the formation of bad habits or misconceptions. Always come back to the principles. Always remind the candidate about the importance of sales, growth, and profitability. Go over the decisions they have made, validate the correct ones and offer advice on the ones that need improvement.

Delegation is an imperfect art, but you can mitigate the risk of failure by looking for the attributes in others that will give you confidence and peace of mind. You must train your candidates on the process knowledge and operating principles necessary to take on the responsibilities involved. Then you must give them clear goals and regular reviews – and let them do it their way.

We like to say, “When the cement is wet, you can move it with a trowel. When it gets hard, you’ll need a jackhammer.” So, overkill on orientation, make sure they know where the money comes from (sales!), and confirm that your candidate thoroughly understands the principles that will guide their decision making. Then accept the inevitability that they will make mistakes, and they will make decisions that will be different that yours. Some of those decisions may even be better!

Who We Are

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

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Impulse Buying in Retail Stores is Exciting for Everyone

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 18:00:37 +0000

Online shopping for the Holidays is great fun! You avoid the crowds and can usually get your entire gift list knocked out in an hour. But you feel a little empty, like something’s missing! You pretty much have to know what you are shopping for in advance, look for the best price, and have it delivered with a type written note.

No matter how sincere you try to make that note sound, just doesn’t hold a candle to a hand-written one, personally delivered in a festively wrapped package, topped with a colorful bow. On line shopping is so perfunctory. Sure, you thought of the person and bought the gift with them in mind and even thoughtfully chose the words for the card. But they got it in a plain brown shipper with a commercially prepared note. It’s somehow mechanical. It just doesn’t feel right.

On the other hand, when you physically go out to the stores, something wonderful happens. You are excited about the effort you are making on behalf of others. You enjoy getting dressed for the occasion and being seen in public. The stores are decorated and there is an air of entertainment and Holiday spirit that adds to the occasion. You through in a great lunch or even some holiday cheer!

And something else happens that’s hard to do on line. You are liable to buy something you hadn’t planned on. The notion buy, or impulse buy, is something that you have to be there to experience. You weren’t shopping for it, but there it is. You discover it. You might think, “That would be perfect for Jim!” It’s a pleasant surprise and you are thrilled to make it your gift. We have found that impulse buying is half the fun of physically shopping.

Retailers know they have this old-fashioned advantage over online shopping – and so do producers. It’s a perfect opportunity to get a new product out there at a time when there’s plenty of traffic and plenty of motivated buyers. Customers get to see it for the first time, touch it physically, appreciate its quality and compare it to other like products. They know what they are buying and they get the instant gratification of taking it home the same day.

Last year 97% of retail sales were sold in bricks and mortar stores. 70% of shoppers polled said they would rather shop in a “real” bricks-and-mortar store. No question, online is the fastest growing segment of the retail market, but retail stores still provide shoppers with that real shopping experience.

Retailers certainly feel the heat from online sales but they are not taking it sitting down. They are stepping up the shopping experience with more decorations, more entertainment, and more events, with additional live and in-person customer service, better inventory control, and more surprising new items just waiting to be discovered by shoppers just like you.

So, if online shopping leaves you feeling a little bit like a purchasing agent and a little empty in the excitement department, why not get dressed up and go shopping? You just might find that perfect gift for that special someone. And you will enjoy doing it! We say go check out the stores this year. Happy Holidays everybody! And happy shopping!

Who We Are

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

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Terms That Can Hurt Your Business and Undo Your Good Will

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 17:00:03 +0000

You won’t get too much argument against the proposition that an excellent customer experience results in return customers, loyalty, and even advocacy. But few owners are aware that the terms their own people use can sour their hard earned customers on an otherwise great experience. These terms may pop up in those critical interfaces where either the service you provide is being delivered, or where the customer has a complaint.

In the past decade, these terms have slipped in under the radar and become part of the customer service lexicon. Most owners are unaware that they are even being used, or worse, that they have a negative effect. But the use of these terms can exacerbate an already prickly situation. Your customers will notice and may be offended.

The term that especially rubs customers the wrong way is “I want you to do this for me.” It implies that the person doing the asking, your employee, wants to make their job easier and that the customer is the problem. It’s like saying, “If only you would just do what I need you to do, then my job would go easier.” It also conveys the idea, “The ease of my job is more important than what you want or need.” This selfish and arrogant expression is unfortunately becoming common place in situations especially where the customer is trapped, like technical support, customer service, and the medical profession. In these situations, the customer must deal with your employee when, all the while, they are treated like they are expendable, and they are the problem.

Doesn’t “And now, what I want you to do for me is…” sound like you are ordering the customer/client/patient around when you should be grateful they gave you their business and their time?

After a string of “Now-what-I-want-you-to-do-for-me’s”, all your customer hears is “I want – for me”! Do they think you put them first? No! Does it put them on the defensive? Yes! Are they more likely or less likely to recommend you? Less likely! Then why allow this term to be used by your people in the first place? This is something you can quickly stop that will improve your business immediately. You need not let all the work your production, marketing and salespeople put into making your customers feel important be spoiled by a selfish and off-putting term that you can stop.

Why not change the vocabulary of your service people by starting with their mentality? Perhaps they think they will get paid and have a good job even if they use selfish and demanding language. If so, start by asking them if they know where their paychecks come from. The customer is the correct answer. Explain the value of a return customer, a customer advocate, and yes, even a complaining customer, to their job security. Offer alternatives like, “How can I help you?”, and “Let me help you,” or “Would you please,” and of course, “Thank you!” Discover with your employees how many ways they can get a customer’s cooperation in the solution they are looking for that send a kind, soothing, respectful, and appreciative message.

When your customer calls on your company for service, that’s your opportunity to shine! This is a touchy moment where your reputation can go either way. You are judged more by how you do when things are challenging than when everything is smooth sailing. So take advantage of this great opportunity to demonstrate with your choice of words how much you appreciate your customers!

Who We Are

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

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Crowd Sourcing Can Give Startups a False Sense of Security

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 17:00:30 +0000

A day doesn’t pass without news of a new startup that has raised more than they asked for. Yes, Crowd Funding is a viable alternative to Banks and VC’s, but it comes with some subtle dangers!

Some businesses can’t raise funds any other way. The Banks and VC’s won’t touch them. But if the Crowd likes their idea, Bam! – they get funded. It seems so democratic, so what’s the problem?

Here are some hidden dangers to Crowd Funding that are becoming more apparent to the startups and the Crowd alike:

Experience. The Crowd lacks the sales and distribution experience that the Banks and the VC’s have painfully learned from poor investments in great ideas. The Crowd may love the concept, and envision one in every household, but the Crowd generally doesn’t know how to get it to market, run the business, or achieve positive cash flow. Typically, inexperienced startups will write a business plan and get the Crowd to fund it, while experienced business owners know that it’s the cash flow report that leads the business, not the business plan.
False Security. The Bank and the VC’s will grill the startup about exactly how the product will get to market and stay there. They will demand a cash flow plan that takes into consideration much more than the merits of the concept itself. Because of the sheer numbers of the Crowd, both the startup and the Crowd itself believe a great idea will be sought out by the market and sales become an afterthought.
Management. The Crowd tends to focus on the product and not so much the management of the company. When the Crowd is provided with a sample product in return for their investment, they believe that the startup will be able to manufacture and distribute the product in the future. In reality, it’s the management of the startup that will determine the success or failure of the product.
Popular Misconceptions. The Crowd tends to simplify the sales process. They go online or to the store and “everything” is there every day. Their judgement about success in the marketplace is based on what they see from their side of the screen and their side of the retail shelf – as consumers, not as producers. If they don’t see it, they think it hasn’t been done. It may have been done but never made it to their store. This simplistic and popular misconception is reinforced when the Crowd has a positive response to the startup’s offering.
Timing. The time between the offering and the actual availability of the product is almost always much longer than expected. The startup discovers the hard way that the costs and time of production and distribution are much greater than they anticipated. This tends to slow them down. Meanwhile, because of all the publicity, companies with more resources and better access to the market can jump on their great idea and be first to market, leaving the startup in the dust. In some cases the startup’s idea becomes outdated by the time it hits the market.

Startups can get a false sense of security after a successful Crowd Funding. It can deaden their ears to unwelcomed news – such as, it’s not so much about the idea, as it is about the management, delivery, and achieving a positive cash flow. It’s not about launching the business or how much is raised. It’s about whether the startup did the homework required for the time to market and true cost of sales – even if the Crowd gives you twice what you asked.

Who We Are

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

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Entrepreneurs Must Decide Between Volume or Margin

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 18:16:17 +0000

Our friends Larry and Laura Martin of Food and Wine Trails are a creative and energetic entrepreneurial couple who have inspired us for years. When the airlines decided to sell seats direct on the internet, they were faced with reinventing their travel agency business. Reliance on the old model of brokering tickets was no longer sustainable.

So they looked at the travel industry from a different angle. What they discovered was the increasing popularity of food and wine especially with the cruising boomers. They really identified and pioneered this market with their unique, high quality European wine and food “Epicurean Tours,” resulting in Larry being chosen by Conde Nast as World’s Top Wine Travel Specialist for three years in a row.

During our Halloween dinner with this well-traveled and cultured entrepreneurial couple, the conversation got around to our favorite subject – entrepreneurship, its challenges and its principles. They often give us great sound bites that sum up complex business relationships in just a few well-chosen words. This evening Larry said, “It’s volume or it’s margin.” Then he added,” Distribution makes the difference.”

It sounds so simple; decide if your product or service is going to be at a velocity price point (volume sales) or if you are willing to forego distribution for margin (higher profit on fewer sales). But it gets complicated. Most small businesses are looking for higher margin because they know they can’t afford the investment in time, energy and capital to achieve a positive cash flow at lower price points.

Other businesses have a model that doesn’t require distribution, then charge enough to see a profit at a low volume of sales. Still others evolve at medium prices but soon reach their capacity and are unable to expand.

The only way to enter the market when we started our business was at the velocity price point. That is the price at which the greatest volume is sold. Little did we know that we would have to sell over 200,000 cases per year just to break even! Back then folks would say, “Why doesn’t America have a good $5 bottle of wine?” The answer was that it simply didn’t pencil out, especially for an undercapitalized startup.

Now that we have had that painful experience, we counsel our clients, “Make up your mind; is it going to be high margins or large distribution?” Most want to produce and sell a competitively priced product, but they generally underestimate the cost of sales, including the costs of distribution. Unless they are starting with a big investment, or unless they are willing to spend years cash flowing the cost of expansion like we did, they are naturally limited to a smaller market at a higher price.

The obvious problem with the higher margin model is that unless you sell it to a bigger player who wants a high margin business and has the capacity to expand it, you run the risk of being underpriced by a bigger player.

The problem with the higher volume distribution model is the years you have to work at it before you see any real margin. The good news here is that by establishing a market for your product you may be able to attract an acquirer who can scale your business up quickly because they have a distribution infrastructure already in place that can “bolt on” your low margin, velocity price point business.

This is the beauty of the “road side fruit stand” approach. Folks drive up, buy your products and drive home with them. And that’s the end of the distribution program. But it may be hard to sell the fruit stand! So what’s it going to be? Are ya goin’ for margin, or are ya goin’ for volume?

Who We Are

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

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Standing on Ceremony Can Lose the Sale

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:00:57 +0000

Sometimes you can do everything right and still lose the sale. Why? Because the buyers simply don’t like you or your approach. Sometimes in an effort to be professional we can be read as mechanical, sterile, and heartless.

Sure, it’s a thin line between too much information and not providing enough to gain credibility. But there comes a time in every sales process when you have to show enough of your true self to be considered authentic and sincere by the purchasing party. Buyers want to identify at some level with the folks who are selling them. They want to know something that they have in common with the seller. It helps them justify the purchase. It helps them gain a feeling of trust.

Seasoned salespeople know from experience just how much is enough and how much is too much. First of all you have to be relatively confident with yourself and your product. Some people have issues with becoming personable at all. They think they can hide behind ceremonious form to avoid any kind of personal exposure. But their prospect may feel uncomfortable and ultimately see the form itself as tedious and they soon lose interest. This is what’s wrong with form letters and standard approaches.

Some people think that being mysterious will somehow lure others in and make them want to know more. We have found this approach tends to be read as insincere and somewhat devious. Prospects who don’t even know you now are faced with an added barrier to open communication – mystery. They wonder what your true motives are. We have found that they not only don’t want to discover the mystery, but they want to get away from those who try to use this or any other kind dramatic tactics.

The winning approach is to find something you have in common with your prospect before you ever go into your pitch. You’ll be glad you did because in the process you will learn how your prospect communicates and what their priorities are. This will help you immensely to craft a tailored approach for each of the unique prospects you meet.

We did business over the years with many Japanese colleagues and buyers. In their business culture, it is considered rude to pitch before some commonality has been established. It was not unusual for us to spend the first entire session talking about, you guessed it, the weather. After that it was sports or favorite movies.

Today, when we cold-call a prospect for a speaking event we like to set it up on Skype or some other video conferencing service so we can see each other. That increases the human touch right there. Then we usually ask them about the weather they are having and share ours. We also have learned enough about them and their company previously to comment favorably on some current event that effected them, like, “Congratulations on that recent merger,” or “You guys are really making a difference with your new program.”

Keep the conversation light to establish engagement, humor and trust. Remember their judgment about you takes place in the first 20 seconds and thereafter tends only to validate that initial impression. So take the time to establish friendly relations first. People want to cooperate with people they like. It’s as simple as that. So do they like you? What have you done to make yourself believable, likable, and friendly? We have found that initially folks must “buy” you before they will ever consider buying your product or service. First make friends; then make the sale!

Who We Are

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

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The Customer Experience is Trumped by the 800 Number Experience

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 19:15:03 +0000

You’ve done everything right as a producer. You’ve given your customer compelling advertising, stellar reputation, and third-party endorsements to put them in a positive state of mind even before they purchase your product or service. They anticipate a rewarding customer experience.

Then you’ve delivered that experience. Your product was in stock, priced right, and provided exceptional value. But then, something went wrong. Maybe it was a quality control problem. Maybe it was the way the customer was treated by a clerk. Or maybe it was just a misunderstanding. So they called your 800 number to seek a solution.

All that great work you and your team have done to create exceptional customer experience is suddenly at risk. Your customers don’t judge you so much by how well you do when you are doing good as by how well you do when you’re doing badly.

But when you’re doing “badly” who do they call? They call your customer relations people, and how your customers are treated on that critical phone call can make or break their opinion, their loyalty, and their message to friends, relatives and colleagues. Because they have been advocates for your brand, now their personal reputation is on the line and they feel obligated to spread the word about how you handled their problem.

How your customers are treated begins with how you treat your Customer Relations people. Do you see them as “Customer Care” or “Complaint Resolution?” Are they relegated to a lowly status near the bottom of the organization, or are they elevated as the source of current feedback from the customer to keep your products and services relevant?

We think Customer Care is where the rubber meets the road. Complaining customers are gold mines of information and the perfect opportunity to turn disappointment into advocacy. They are already fans and believe that their favorite brand will make things right. Remember, for every one customer who takes their precious time to complain, there are thousands who don’t. They simply buy your competitors’ product. The Customer Care Department makes the most powerful lasting impression, and the customer information they collect should guide your production and marketing people.

So what is your complaining customers’ 800 number experience? Do they spend what seems like an eternity making selections, being shunted around, and repeatedly giving personal data to a recording that never gets to the live representative? Are they abused by long wait times, wrong transfers and drop offs? When we call an 800 number with a complaint, we hope they really are recording it and more importantly, top management listens to not just the dialogue, but the transfers, holds, and drop offs. Chances are you’ll never hear how many of your customers get so frustrated that they just give up because that is not measured.

But when a real person, who understands how important the call is to their company, takes it on the second ring, the results can be much more effective than any advertising. For one thing, you know the caller is outspoken. For another, you know they have already chosen your product. If they are treated like VIP’s, they will sing your praises like never before. And nothing speaks more loudly about a great customer experience than the way your company handled their problem.

Dollar for dollar we think your investment in quick response telephony, adequate call center staffing, generous credits, and solid lines of communication from customer service to production and marketing are your best investments in a positive customer experience.

Who We Are

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

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How to Get a Job in Today’s Market – Part 1: Your Résumé

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 18:30:51 +0000

Today’s college graduates face increasing competition for the fewer jobs that are out there. We often are asked by college students, “What do I have to do to get hired?”

Many students chase the courses that seem to align with a particular profession hoping that their formal education in a specific area will attract an employer all by itself. It won’t!

Many students who put themselves through school with borrowed money face double jeopardy. First, the payback on the loan they’ve taken out is sometimes 3 and 4 times the amount borrowed, and because they had funds from the loans, they didn’t feel pressured to get a job while in college. So they pass up the opportunity to get real-world experience. Yet that experience is one of the qualifications an employer is seeking.

Here’s our short list of what employers are looking for today:

1. Experience. It is better if it’s in your chosen profession, but even if your experience is not, it demonstrates that you can and have held down a job. Hopefully, your boss provided you with a great recommendation you can put on your résumé. So, while you are going to college, consider working your way through, even if it makes your curriculum extend beyond the typical four-year standard. That job gives you a big edge over the students who just borrowed their way through school. And if you do borrow, you’ll be in a much better position to pay it off.

2. Entrepreneurship. Yes, employers are now starting to hire grads with entrepreneurship education and experience over those who don’t have it. Why? Because they want to hire folks that understand that all the money- including their salary, benefits and bonuses- originates from the sales of the company’s products or services. They want folks who understand that sales and customer service is the key to maintaining and growing cash flow. They basically want to hire people who really understand how their position fits into the big picture of the company.

3. Stability. Probably the first thing employers do when confronted with a ton of résumés is to eliminate the ones that look “unstable.” Instability is easy to spot because it’s measured by how long you have held onto each job. If, for instance, you have been jumping around from job to job with less than one-year tenure at each, it makes them question, “Why should I hire this person? The training alone will take 3 to 6 months.” It’s difficult for a college student to demonstrate long-term tenure with an employer, but holding on to a part-time job for two years or more speaks volumes.

4. Ethics. What was the biggest mistake you made working for an employer and how did you handle it? No, it’s not a trick question. It’s all about whether you cover up and blame others, or whether you take responsibility for your own behavior – and sometimes, for the behavior of others. Employers want to hear that you are honest and can take responsibility. So, if you can, demonstrate what you did to make sure you, or anyone, wouldn’t make that mistake again. It may be that you rewrote the policies and procedures; checklists and signoff sheets; or even put a new clause in a contract or a sign on the door! Employers want to hear how you added permanent value to your last employer’s company.

Remember, when all the résumés are lined up, you want yours to stand out. Employers are looking for employees that will justify their investment in time, money, and training. Your resume has to say, “I’m worth the risk!” So make sure your resume distinguishes you from the rest. We wish all the grads good luck landing that all-important job after graduation!

Who We Are

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

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Sales Professionals Deserve our Respect

Michael Houlihan & Bonnie Harvey — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 06:31:33 +0000

From the outstanding musical, “The Music Man” to the hilarious movie, “Used Cars,” people in the sales profession have long been saddled with an unfair stereotype. Yet, without sales, few businesses would succeed.

Our economy relies on hundreds of thousands of salespeople that most of us never see, but their skills are responsible for our high standard of living. They call on the buyers who produce and sell the products we all buy.

Salespeople provide buyers with the choices and information that result in the ever-improving products and services we enjoy daily.

Some big companies entertain a culture that demeans sales people to the point that they are given products to sell and pitches to use without any say in the product development or marketing. Because many sales take place outside the office and production plant, the sales division is treated if it was somehow separate from the rest of the company. In many cases, it’s the office vs. the sales people. This attitude can give the marketing division too much power over the development of sales materials. Likewise, the production division can have too much say over product development.

The sales division should be advising production and marketing on a regular basis to ensure that your company’s products remain relevant, competitive, and affordable. Because of the sales division’s direct relationship with the customer, sharing their insight and experience is crucial to the success of your company. Regular feedback from Sales on changes in the marketplace, the features and benefits their buyers are demanding, and the effectiveness of your company’s marketing materials makes dollars and sense.

No one knows the marketplace better than the professional salesperson. Their livelihood depends on it. Progressive companies recognize their special skills and capitalize on their unique position. But of all the skills that these sales specialists must utilize, none is more essential to success than relationship building.

Most buyers make purchasing decisions based on the sales person first, and the product second. We know of buyers who have actually changed the products they carry just to stay with a salesperson they know and trust. It takes years to establish this kind of credibility. Buyers don’t want to start all over “training” a new salesperson about their particular concerns and buying style. The salesperson they know has become an “assistant buyer” to them, and makes their job much easier.

Like they say in “The Music Man,” “Ya gotta know the territory.” But they also have to know so much more. The experienced salesperson knows how his product satisfies the buyers needs better than the competition. He stays on top of his buyer’s inventory. He understands his buyer’s limitations of shelf space and holding capacity. He assists his buyer with promotional calendars and point of sale materials. He makes sure the buyer’s purchases result in the best possible prices.

Over time, salespeople establish a positive track record with buyers with dependable customer service, including delivery, added value, pricing, and follow through. Above all, sales professionals have the people skills and the history to demonstrate they have the buyer’s best interest at heart.

Sales is a specialty skill and the backbone of our economy. Without sales professionals, most of us would be out of a job! Isn’t it time we gave the sales professionals the respect they deserve? Cheers to the salespeople, our unsung heroes!

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